Men jailed after £100k Leeds cannabis factory discovered

Two men have been jailed after police discovered a £100,000 cannabis factory in a rented house in Leeds.

Leeds Crown Court heard officers executed a search warrant at the property in Oxford Street last year and discovered 84 plants growing in the bedrooms and cellar.

Patrick Palmer prosecuting said there were 27 plants in one bedroom capable of producing 2.81 kilos of skunk cannabis with a street value of £24,000.

A crop of another 27 plants was in the next bedroom while in the cellar, which had been converted into two rooms, there were 23 plants growing to make a third later crop.

The estimated production over a year was £100,000.

The electricity had been by-passed and there were bottles of nutrients in the bathroom.

Correspondence in the property linked to Gary Rockliffe who had rented the house from its owner who estimated £7,500 damage was caused.

Mr Palmer said Rockliffe of Gilroyd Terrace, Leeds, had already been jailed for three years four months for his part in the production.

When he was arrested text messages on his phones linked to Glen Campbell and Claudio Diclemente.

When police arrived at Diclemente’s house he was driving away in a car for which he had paid £8,300 in cash and inside the vehicle was cannabis growing equipment.

Stephen Smithson representing Diclemente said he was a tiler by trade but when his partner got into debt and had to work he devoted time to looking after the children and could not earn as he had previously.

The court heard Campbell was unemployed and became involved for financial gain.

Diclemente, 40 of Lawson Wood Drive, Meanwood and Campbell, 43 of Hathaway Drive, Whinmoor were both jailed for four years three months after admitting producing cannabis.

Judge James Spencer QC told them: “You both got involved with this other person in what was an industrial level growing of cannabis.

“It was well organised, it was well equipped and for commercial gain.”